Peace
by NikkiB1973
Summary: Can you ever really only love once?
1. Chapter 1

**Peace**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Chapter One**

Bella pulled into the driveway of her father's house and looked up at it. The sun was just setting and it illuminated the fresh green paint that Charlie had applied that morning. He had certainly been busy, the gardens had been mowed and the flowerbeds turned over. Everything was neat and tidy looking. Bella felt a flash of guilt, he had obviously done this just for her because she was finally coming back to live with him. She turned her head and smiled as she heard a small whimper behind her. Ashton was awake.

"Hey you." She cooed. She quickly unsnapped her seat belt and went to collect her son. She took out his car seat and rocked it slightly. Ashton yawned, his long lashes fluttering as his eyes began to close. Bella smiled again, gently reaching out to touch his cheek. "That's it, you sleep little one."

The front door opened and Bella turned swiftly to see her father running down the front steps to greet her. "I thought I heard your car." He said. Charlie peered down at his grandson, a smile softening his expression. "He's got so much bigger already since the last time I saw him, kiddo."

"Yeah." Bella agreed. "It is okay for us to stay for a while isn't it? I know it was a last minute arrangement but..."

"Bells I'm glad you've come home. You know how much I've missed having you around the house." He held out his hand and Bella passed him Ashton's car seat while she went to back of the car and began to unload her luggage.

Charlie led the way into the house with Bella following behind with the lighter bags. After carefully depositing his grandson inside he went back out and retrieved the heavier suitcases. He found his daughter gazing wistfully around the house. He put the cases down and touched her shoulder gently. "I've done up your old room and I bought a cot for Ashton."

"You didn't have to do that, dad." Bella replied, feeling touched that he had gone to so much effort. "I bought a travel cot with me."

"If you're going to stay here permanently then the little man deserves a good bed to sleep in." Charlie said firmly.

Tears pricked at the corners of Bella's eyes as she looked at her dad affectionately. After trying to cope alone for so long it was nice to have someone to rely on. "Thank you." She whispered.

"No problem, kiddo. Come on I'll carry these up to your room." He smiled at her encouragingly as he began to ascend the stairs.

* * *

Bella changed Ashton and pulled on his clean romper suit. He wriggled about on the bed, smiling up at her. She tickled his little tummy and he smiled wider. His brown eyes shone as he let out a gurgling laugh. "You look so much like your daddy." She said sadly. "I'm so sorry you'll never get to know him."

Ashton gurgled again lifting Bella's mood. He had the ability to make her forget her loss. She hoisted him up in her arms and carried him down the stairs to rejoin her father. Charlie was sitting in his recliner, when he heard her enter the room he held out his hands for his grandson. Bella passed Ashton over and smiled when she saw Charlie pull funny faces at her son.

"He looks so much like you, kiddo." Charlie said as he jiggled Ashton about some more.

"Yeah I can see it now. When he was first born I wasn't so sure." She made herself comfortable on the couch.

"He has Ryan's eyes though." Charlie said his name cautiously, watching his daughter's reaction carefully. He saw her flinch.

"Yes. He does." She conceded, clearing her throat as her grief began to bubble to the surface.

"You can talk about him with me, kiddo." Charlie said gently as he placed Ashton on his lap.

Bella took a deep breath, the ever present tears stinging at her eyes. "Thanks, but it's just too raw. I'm sorry."

"That's fine. I just wanted to let you know that you can open up to me." Charlie told her.

Bella nodded. "I know I can. You've been great dad. I just need time."

"Okay." Charlie gave her an understanding smile. "How about I order us a takeaway? You must be hungry."

"I am." Bella stood up and took Ashton back from her father. "I better get Ashton's food ready too."

"You do that and I'll ring the pizza place. Ham and Pineapple?" Charlie asked her.

"Yeah, that's perfect." Bella smiled at him tremulously before quickly escaping the room so he wouldn't see the tears streaming down her cheeks.

* * *

It was odd sleeping in her old room that first night. Even though Charlie had redecorated it, painting the walls a demure cream color, childhood memories still assaulted her. The old rocking chair still stood in the corner of the room next to Ashton's new cot. She used to sit in it in the summer months; book in hand as she felt the warm breeze blow through the opened window. The cork board where she used to pin her photo's was still stuck to the wall and as she glanced at it, she could see that the photo's were still attached.

Bella got up from her bed and wandered over to look at the old pictures. She glanced in at her son, Ashton was lying on his back, eyes closed as he slept peacefully. He was such a good baby and hadn't given her any trouble since he was born. He was her reason for living, without him she didn't know whether she would have had the strength to carry on after her loss. Shaking thoughts of Ryan from her mind she focused on the photos in front of her, they were mostly of her high school days. She saw herself surrounded by her various friends from school. She smiled as she mentally said their names in her head. There was Jessica, all bouncy black curls and enthusiasm. Next to her was the more quiet and studious Angela Weber. She had been a good friend. Angela had married young and moved to Seattle with her childhood sweetheart Ben. Bella saw him standing next to Angela, his arm around her. Beside them was her constant admirer Mike Newton. She smiled to herself, his puppy dog devotion to her throughout high school had been legendary. She wondered where he had ended up. Next to him were Tyler and her arch nemesis Lauren Mallory. There had always been tension between the two of them. Bella was never certain why, she could only put it down to petty jealousy. Lauren liked to be the center of attention at all times and with Bella in the group it took some of the spotlight away from her.

Bella put that picture to one side and picked up another. A fond smile lit up her face as she looked at herself and her childhood best friend. It was taken at the local reservation which was not too far from Forks, La Push. Jacob lived there with his widowed father, Billy. He had lost his mother at a young age and was the sole carer for his dad after his twin sisters had fled the reservation, one had got married to a surfer, the other was at college after winning a scholarship. Neither came home much.

She studied his profile, he had to have been about fifteen there. His hair was long and tied back with a rubber band. He was just beginning to fill out, but still had the boyish looks and sunny smile that had been her mainstay when she lived with her dad. It was not long after this photo had been taken that she had left Forks to go and live with her mother. Renee had become ill and needed looking after. The move was meant to be a short term thing until Renee got better, but Bella had never returned. Her mother had recovered after a few months but by then Bella was settled in her new school and had met Ryan.

She shut down her thoughts at this point. It was too painful to think about him right now. She glanced at Jacob again. She pondered how he was. They had kept in touch for a while after she left but her new life had taken up her time and slowly she had stopped writing to him. Guilt washed over her as she remembered the last letter he had sent her, begging for her to reply. With the excitement of new love she had forgotten to respond and time had just drifted away. That was the last time she had heard from him.

Bella pinned the photo back on the board. She was feeling tired now. She checked on Ashton one last time and finally retired to bed, her dreams filled with nightmares.

* * *

Charlie noticed the dark rings under his daughter's eyes as she ate her breakfast. While she ate he amused his grandson. Ashton had been awake early, he was still very lively now, clapping his hands and gurgling as Charlie jiggled him about. "How was your first night back at home?" He asked cautiously.

"Great." Bella spooned the last of her breakfast into her mouth.

"That's good." Charlie passed Ashton his teething ring. The little boy grabbed it in his chubby fists and began biting on it. "So what are you planning to do today?"

"Finish unpacking and then maybe go for a stroll to have a look around the old neighborhood."

"Right." Charlie looked at her expectantly for a moment.

"What?" She asked, sensing he wanted to say something.

"Well I was wondering whether you fancied catching up with some old friends." He asked.

"Who?" Bella was puzzled. She assumed most of her old high school friends had moved away.

"You remember Jake don't you and his father Billy?" Charlie said as he hoisted Ashton up and tickled his tummy, making him gurgle in delight.

Bella's cheeks flushed red. How odd? She had only been thinking about him the night before. "Does he still live with his dad?"

"Yeah, Billy's health is very poor and Jake is his carer. Those sister's of his don't help out at all. I tell you that boy or, should I say young man now, is a credit to his father." Charlie's face registered his disgust with the twins.

"Wow, poor Jake. He must be what twenty one now?" Bella mused. "Does he still have his long hair?"

Charlie smiled at her in amusement. "No. He has changed a lot, Bells. I doubt you would recognize him. He's six foot seven and built like an athlete. The boy must work out although I've never seen him train."

Bella was surprised. In her head he was still the thin, lithe fifteen year old. Well it had been well over six years since she had seen him in the flesh. She was nervous though. Would he hold a grudge because she hadn't replied to his letters? "Does he actually know I'm back?"

"Yeah, I told him and Billy as soon as you said you wanted to stay. He's really keen to see you and catch up." Charlie assured her.

Bella breathed a sigh of relief. She should have guessed. It wasn't in Jake's nature to hold onto any ill feeling. Anyway it had been years. She found that she was actually looking forward to seeing him. She wondered what his life was like. He must have a girlfriend. He was such a sweet boy. No, he was a man now, she had to remind herself.

"Yeah that would be great." She found herself saying.

"Excellent." Charlie handed Ashton over to her and headed to the phone. "I'll give them a call and let them know we'll pop over this afternoon."

Bella laughed at his enthusiasm. For the first time in months she was actually looking forward to something.

* * *

They drove over to the Black's house in the late afternoon. The sun was out and it made pretty patterns on the car window. She watched as Ashton looked at the colors in fascination. She was sitting next to him in the back of her dad's police cruiser. He was strapped securely in his car seat. It didn't take long to get there, La Push was only a twenty minute drive from Forks. As Charlie parked the cruiser, she peered out of the window at the familiar little red house that had been such a big part of her childhood. Not much had changed, it looked like the house had been extended a bit and been repainted a brighter red, but other then that it was the same as she remembered. As soon as they were parked the front door was opened and Billy Black appeared. Behind him a tall handsome, well built young man, with short black hair pushed Billy' chair. Bella's eyes widened. Was this Jake? He looked nothing like she remembered.

Charlie got out of the car and opened her door, motioning her to pass him Ashton. Bella quickly unbuckled her son from his car seat and passed him to her dad. She waited a moment, taking deep breaths before she exited the car. She was surprised to see that Jacob was already approaching her. He was wearing the sunny smile that she remembered from her childhood. She tentatively smiled back at him. Before she had a chance to say anything he closed the gap between them and picked her up easily in his strong arms, squeezing her in a tight bear hug.

"Hey Bells." He greeted her, his voice full of emotion. "Long time no see."

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Peace**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews. Nikki :)**_

**Chapter 2**

"Air, Jake." Bella gasped.

Jacob chuckled as he finally released her and placed her gently back on her feet. It was a long standing joke between them, that whenever he greeted her with one of his bear hugs, she would plead for air. He stepped back slightly and looked her up and down. "Looking good, Bells."

Bella smiled up at him. He was so tall now. She felt like a midget. Charlie was right, Jacob had packed on some serious muscle. He must work out daily to maintain that physique. Funny how he had never shown any interest in weight lifting when she knew him, but then again that was years ago. "You're looking good yourself, Jake. I hardly recognized you."

"Is that good?" He raised his eyebrows, flashing her his sunny smile that made her heart melt.

"Very good, believe me." She reached out and squeezed one of his biceps playfully.

"Ow." He said, pretending to be hurt. "That's quite a grip you've got there young lady."

"Still a wimp I see." Bella teased him.

A sly smile crossed his face as he suddenly ducked down, picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Bella yelled in surprise as her world turned upside down. She hit him on the back with her fists as he sprinted toward the house, laughing. And just like that they were Jake and Bells again.

* * *

Charlie and Billy were watching them in amusement as they saw Jacob run inside, Bella dangling over his shoulder. They had witnessed the same thing often in the past. Jacob finally pulled Bella off of his shoulder and threw her on the old couch, leaning down to tickle her until she begged for mercy.

"I can't believe you still pull that move on me, Jake." She breathed as she finally regained her composure.

"I can't believe you fell for it again, honey." Jacob grinned at her again before turning to greet Charlie. He shook the older man's hand. "Good to see you, chief."

"Enough of that now." Charlie said with a smile. It was at that point that Ashton gave out a little cry. Bella was suddenly all seriousness as she headed over to her son, who was still strapped in his car seat.

"Hey you." She cooed. Carefully un-clipping him from the seat she lifted him and kissed the top of his head. Immediately Ashton calmed down now he felt his mother's arms around him.

Jacob was watching them both with interest. "So this is your son?"

"Yeah." Bella said proudly. "Jake this is Ashton. Ashton this is Jake."

Ashton gurgled and waved his hands in the air as if he was about to fly. Jacob approached him cautiously and looked down at him. "He's cute. Can I?" He held out his arms.

Bella gently placed her son in Jacob's embrace and watched in delight as he rocked her son back and forth. Ashton giggled and gazed up at the stranger, not in the least bit worried about being held by someone new. A soft smile crossed Jacob's lips as he gazed down at the baby. "He's cute. He looks like you."

"You think?" Bella beamed at him. It felt odd to be smiling so much. She hadn't done that in a long time, but that was Jacob. He had a knack of pulling you out of a funk and making the world seem a brighter place. In that respect he hadn't changed at all. "He likes you."

"You think?" He echoed her, giving her a playful wink. He held Ashton up so that they were eye to eye. "Do you like me, Ash?"

Ashton giggled and batted him on the nose, giving his seal of approval.

* * *

The afternoon passed pleasantly. Ashton was passed around, Billy held him for a while until he began to tire, then her dad played with him before passing him back to Jacob. Her childhood friend was fascinated with her son. She watched as he played with the youngster enthusiastically, making Ashton giggle as they played some of the simple games she had brought with her. Eventually her son began to doze and he ended up sleeping with his head resting on Jacob's shoulder. She couldn't get over how adorable the two of them looked. Jake was going to make a great dad one day.

Billy and Charlie retired to the living room to watch a game on the television, leaving Bella and Jacob alone in the kitchen. Bella had taken her son and placed him back in his car seat now that he was deeply asleep. The two of them sat at the kitchen table, drinking coffee as they chatted quietly so as not to wake him.

"So Jake how have you been?" Bella asked him now that they had a chance to talk privately.

"Great. Life's good." He said. "Especially now that you're here."

Bella felt her cheeks flush red. She hadn't blushed since she was a teen. "Thanks. It's good to be back actually. It has made me realise how much I missed this place."

"Yeah, it must be the great social life." Jacob rolled his eyes at her.

"You love it here." Bella pointed out to him. "Don't deny it. I know you have to care for your dad, but I could never imagine you leaving La Push even if you didn't have that responsibility."

"No, you're right." He agreed. "La Push is my home."

Bella smiled at him wistfully as she took a sip of her drink. "So...is there someone special in your life, Jake? I would love to meet her...I mean if she wants to meet me. Oh god I am such an ass."

"A very pretty ass." Jacob teased her, avoiding answering the question. "What about you? Is Ashton's father in the picture still?" He turned it around on her.

The smile slipped from Bella's face as she stared down at her half empty mug. She twirled it around her fingers until she felt Jacob reach out and grasp her wrist to stop her movement. "Bells, did I say something wrong?"

"No." She said softly. "Ashton's father isn't around anymore."

"Oh." Jacob felt awkward. "Did he leave you? If he did that makes him a complete..."

"Ryan's dead." Bella said bluntly.

"I'm sorry, Bells. I am such an idiot. I didn't mean..." Jacob stumbled over his words.

Bella finally looked up at him, feeling guilty that she had stated it so baldly. "No I'm sorry. I just find it hard to talk about that's all. Ashton never even got to see his father, he was gone before I gave birth."

Jacob transferred his hand from her wrist and took her fingers in his warm grip. "I am so sorry. I cannot even imagine how hard that was for you."

Bella felt tears prick at her eyes again. She bit down on her lip to stem the flow.

"What happened to him, Bells?" Jacob dared to ask. He squeezed her hand gently, lacing his fingers with hers. He could see her fighting the tears.

"I can't...I can't talk about it. I'm sorry. I think I should go." Bella pulled her hand out of his and stood up swiftly.

"Bells, I didn't mean to upset you. Don't leave. We can talk about something else instead..." Jacob said desperately.

"Maybe another time. It's been a long day. It was good seeing you." Bella had to get out of the house; she suddenly couldn't breathe as images of Ryan's dead body slammed into her consciousness. There was blood, so much blood. The barrel of a gun was shoved in her face as the man in the ski mask demanded money. She couldn't speak, all she could see was Ryan's white face, his chest riddled with bullet holes. Black spots appeared in Bella's vision as she forgot how to breathe. Just before she fell a pair of warm arms caught her.

* * *

Charlie looked sadly down at his daughter. She was just waking up from a dead faint. The panic attacks hadn't happened for a while but Jacob asking about Ryan had triggered her suppressed memories. The counselor had warned them this could happen. He knelt down beside her; Jacob and Billy hovering anxiously in the back ground as she began to stir.

"Bells, can you hear me?"

Bella opened her eyes and gazed up at him blearily. "Dad?" She said thickly, her throat felt clogged up.

"It's me. Do you think you can sit up?"

Bella nodded. Charlie put his arms around her and hoisted her upright. Her head spun for a moment before becoming still. "Can I have some water?" She begged.

Jacob ran off to get her some, returning quickly. "Here you go, honey."

Bella took the glass gratefully and drank the cool liquid down thirstily. "Thank you." She whispered, handing the glass back to him.

"Bells, I am so sorry." Anxiety and guilt was written all over his face as he spoke.

"It's okay, really. You weren't to know. I just don't handle it that well." Bella apologized.

"Would you like me to tell them, kiddo?" Charlie asked his daughter gently.

Bella blanched for a second before nodding slowly. "Yes. I think I'll go and check on Ashton."

Charlie helped her to rise and she hugged him briefly for a moment before going over to her son, picking up his car seat and heading outside for some air.

"Should I go after her?" Jacob asked worriedly. "She shouldn't be alone."

"She won't thank you for it son." Charlie said sadly. "She gets embarrassed when anyone sees her like this. She just needs to sit quietly with Ashton and calm down."

"What happened, chief?" Billy asked softly.

Charlie sat down on the couch and looked at the two men. He sighed, suddenly feeling every one of his years. "Ryan was shot when the bank Bells was working at was raided by armed robbers. She was working out her last week there before going on maternity leave. Ryan came in to see her, they were going to spend lunch together. She was serving one of her last customers behind the cashiers counter when the scum bags came in and started shooting up the place." He had to stop speaking for a moment as his emotions got the better of him. He could see the horrified looks on both Jacob and Billy's faces.

After he took a couple of deep breaths he resumed speaking. "As Bells was behind the counter they came straight for her demanding money. She tried to pass them some as fast as she could but they weren't happy with that. One of the gang began waving the gun in her face. Ryan couldn't stand to see her so scared. He tried to intervene, telling them to back off and that she was pregnant but...they just shot him. They coldly just gunned him down and Bells saw it all."

"Shit." Billy swore under his breath as he exchanged a look with Jacob. He could see his son was struggling to reign in his emotions.

There was silence as they all processed this news. Jacob was stunned. He hadn't expected anything like this. Rage consumed him as he mentally pictured tearing the gunmen apart for threatening Bella.

"What happened afterwards? Did they catch the bastards?" Billy asked.

"Yes. They are all still awaiting trial." Charlie revealed.

"Jeez, will Bella have to testify?"

"We're not sure yet." Charlie said tiredly.

"Hasn't she been through enough?" Jacob interjected.

"You know how slow the process is, Jake." Charlie reminded him. "Part of the reason Bells has come back here is to get away from the bad memories."

"I can imagine. Why did you never say anything before?" Billy questioned.

"Because she asked me to tell no one." Charlie got up from his seat. "I better go and take her home now."

"Can you tell her I'm sorry." Jacob pleaded. "Do you think I can come see her tomorrow if she's feeling up to it?"

"Yeah, I think she would like that." Charlie gave them both a small smile before leaving the house.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


	3. Chapter 3

**Peace**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you for the lovely reviews on this story. Nikki :)**_

**Chapter 3**

Bella was up early again after another restless night's sleep. Her breakdown the day before had left her feeling embarrassed and out of sorts. She mechanically went about her daily routine sorting out Ashton, bathing him and then feeding him. She then headed into the shower and turned the spray on hot. The overly warm water soothed her chilled skin and she stayed under it until it began to run cold. She threw on the first clothes she could find and headed down the stairs to take Ashton back from her father who had been amusing him while she got herself ready.

"Are you okay, kiddo?" Charlie asked in concern.

Bella mustered up a fake smile. "A little tired I suppose, but I'll be fine."

Charlie knew she was lying but he didn't call her out on it. "Jake asked if he could come over to see you today. He's feeling guilty over what happened yesterday."

"He wasn't to know." Bella frowned. "I don't feel like company today."

Charlie picked Ashton up and held him against his shoulder as he stood. "He's your friend, kiddo. It can get lonely around here. You shouldn't push him away."

"I'm not." Bella snapped, her tiredness making her irritable. "We haven't seen each other for years. We've both changed."

"You were getting on very well before he asked about Ryan." Charlie reminded her.

Bella crossed her arms and glared at him for a moment. "You are not going to back down over this are you?"

"Nope." Charlie handed Ashton over to her and smiled. "I'm your dad, kiddo. You should listen to me. I do give good advice sometimes."

Bella smiled at him grudgingly. "I suppose."

"You know it makes sense. I'll ring Jake and put him out of his misery then, shall I?"

"Go on." Bella shook her head in disbelief as she jiggled Ashton in her arms. Despite her initial feeling that she wanted to be alone, her dad was right. Forks could get lonely if you didn't make friends, and Jacob had always been such a huge support in the past. She just hoped his girlfriend, whoever she was, didn't get too annoyed about him spending time with a female friend from his past. Then again he hadn't exactly elaborated on that question when she had asked him. Maybe she could wangle the info out of him when he came over. She didn't want to step on anybody's toes.

* * *

Jacob was relieved to get the call from Charlie telling him that Bella wanted him to come over. He had been worried that his questions from the day before about Ashton's father had sabotaged their reunion completely. Before that they had been getting on so well. It was like they had never been apart. He had to contain himself and wait, although he was itching to go straight over and see her. Instead he went to his garage and worked on an old car he was fixing up to keep himself occupied. It didn't distract him for long. As soon as ten o'clock rolled round he was in his truck and driving over to Forks.

* * *

Bella had just closed her eyes for a moment to catch a nap. Ashton had fallen asleep unexpectedly, and with Charlie now at work, she was taking advantage of the quiet and getting a little sleep herself. Her eyes snapped open when she heard the soft knock on the door. She wasn't expecting anyone at this time, it was still early morning. With a heavy sigh she launched herself out of her chair and went to answer the door before they knocked again and woke Ashton.

"Jake?" She said in surprise when she saw him standing on the doorstep, his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans and a sheepish smile on his face.

"Is this too early? If it is I can come back later. I mean if you want me to..." his voice tailed off as he looked at her pleadingly.

Bella couldn't help but smile, he was just too sweet. "No, it's fine. Just keep your voice down though, Ashton is asleep."

"Done." Jacob whispered. He smiled at her gratefully and followed her into the house and to the kitchen.

"Drink?" She asked, holding up the coffee jar.

"Still addicted to caffeine I see." Jacob said. "Yeah thanks."

Bella spooned some of the powder into two empty mugs. "It keeps me going."

"I know." Jacob made himself comfortable on one of the chairs and watched her covertly as she moved around the kitchen. She was so slim, it was obvious she hadn't been eating much. Other than that she looked as beautiful as he remembered. Her hair was still long, the ends swaying as she moved. Her pale skin had a faint blush when she glanced back at him and caught him studying her. He smiled at her warmly and she found herself smiling back.

Bella made the coffee and placed two mugs on the table before sitting down herself. Jacob took a sip before speaking. "Bells, I just want to say how sorry I am about yesterday."

She held up her hand before he could say more. "No need to apologize. You did nothing wrong. It is all me. I just find it hard to cope sometimes."

"I'm not surprised." Jacob said gently. "If you ever want to talk. I'm a good listener."

"Thank you." Bella said gratefully.

They were both silent for a while as they continued to drink their coffees. It wasn't an awkward silence. Bella and Jacob had always been comfortable in each others presence. In the past when she used to spend hours at his house, they would often retreat to the garage and she would sit on an old crate and watch him work. They didn't feel the need to speak to each other constantly, just knowing that the other one was there was enough. When they were both finished, Bella stood and put the mugs in the sink.

"So, Jake it's my turn for some questions today."

"It is?" Jacob raised his eyebrows at her expectantly.

"Yeah. I want to know what you've been up to the last six years." Bella sat down and waited for him to spill.

A small smile crossed his lips as he saw her watching him intently. She was just too cute. "Not a lot, Bells." He finally said. "My life is pretty boring really. I get up, help my dad, go to work, come home, help my dad again...and so on."

"You sound like a monk." Bella said disbelievingly. "I can't imagine you have no social life. What about the dynamic duo?"

"Oh you mean Quil and Embry?"

"Yes, Quil and Embry. You must still see them." Bella pressed.

"Oh yeah, every day. Which in Quil's case is too much." Jacob laughed as he thought about his best friends.

"So...who is she?" Bella asked eagerly.

"Who?"

"Jake, stop avoiding the question. You must be seeing someone. You are too hot to be single. Now tell me." Bella demanded.

"Too hot am I?" Jacob teased her, flexing his muscles.

Bella made an irritated noise in the back of her throat. "Come on, spill." She whined.

"I'm a monk, Bells. What can I say?" Jacob shrugged.

"There must be someone." Bella said in exasperation.

Jacob just smiled enigmatically. "Want to go for a walk? We could pop in and see the dynamic duo if you want?"

"Pop in? Where do they work? In the same place?" Bella fired one question after another at him.

"We all do actually and I'm the boss." Jacob revealed. "That's why I get to take the day off."

"You have your own business." Bella said her eyes opening wide. "That is amazing. I am so proud of you Jake."

A sunny smile crossed his face at her praise. He reached across the table and took her hand. "Wanna see?"

"Yeah." Bella replied eagerly. "I'll just go get Ashton ready."

Jacob watched her run from the room, his heart speeding up in his chest as he got up to follow her. He was dying to pull her into his arms and hug her. As it was he had to restrain himself from touching her. Having Bella Swan come back into his life was a miracle and he wasn't going to screw it up by pushing her into something she wasn't ready for. For now he would just be what she needed, a friend, and maybe when the time was right he could push the boundaries a little.

* * *

Bella gazed up at the old brick building that used to belong to Jim Dowling. The rusty old sign had been taken down to be replaced with a shiny new one; Black Auto's stood out in bold black lettering. "What happened to Jim?" She asked curiously. Jim Dowling had been well known for fiddling his books and overcharging customers for shoddy work.

"He went bankrupt." Jacob said easily. "That's why I managed to buy this place so cheap. It was run down, and it still needs a lot of work, but the basic set up was already in place."

"Wow, Jake this is fantastic." Bella breathed. "You always used to say you would own your own business one day and now it's a reality. Well done you."

"You remember me saying that?" Jacob asked, his heart beginning to hammer in his chest again. He used to wonder how much she remembered from their past.

"Of course. I remember everything." Bella smiled at him wistfully for a second. Their eyes locked and neither seemed able to pull away. It was only the sound of someone yelling out Bella's name that made them look away from each other. Bella blushed slightly as she saw Quil approaching, his arms held wide.

"Bella Swan, it is really you." He swept her up into a hug, making her giggle.

"Quil, you've gotten big." Bella marveled as she looked him up and down. He too had filled out. He was wearing a tight t-shirt and jeans which showed off his muscular physique. He wasn't as well built or tall as Jacob, but he wasn't far behind.

"And better looking." Quil replied with a cheeky wink.

"I don't know about that." Bella rolled her eyes at him. He was still as vain as ever.

"Ah I know you're only saying that to spare this idiot's feelings." Quil quipped, hitting Jacob on the shoulder lightly.

Bella laughed at his theatrics as Jacob shoved him back. "I'm in charge remember."

"So he likes to think." Quil said to Bella as he strutted back inside.

"Where's Embry?" Jacob called after him.

"In the office." Quil yelled back. His loud voice disturbed Ashton who had been snoozing in his car seat. Bella immediately un-clipped him and picked him up to soothe him.

Quil spun round as soon as he heard the baby's cries. He hadn't registered his presence before. He stared at Bella uncomprehendingly. "Is he yours?"

"Duh." Bella said as she placed her son on her shoulder and rubbed his back gently.

She noticed Quil give Jacob an odd glance before shrugging and ambling off to get Embry. "Why did he look at you like that?" She whispered to Jacob.

"No reason." Jacob said easily. He put a hand on her shoulder and guided her over to the small office at the back of the workshop. Embry was inside sitting in front of a computer, Quil was hovering by his side.

"Bella?" Embry smiled shyly at her. "It is so good to see you. Who is the little one you've brought with you?"

"Hey Embry." Bella greeted him. She had always had a soft spot for Jacob's other friend, he wasn't as brash and full of himself as Quil. But like both of them, Embry had filled out too. Maybe they all worked out together. "This is Ashton."

"Hey Ashton." Embry stood up and peered at the baby closely. "He looks like you."

"Thanks." Bella shifted Ashton around in her arms so both Quil and Embry could get a better look.

Embry tickled his cheek. "I didn't know you had been seeing anyone, Bella." He said, looking at Jacob meaningfully.

Bella glanced sideways at Jacob and watched as he shot Embry a warning look. What the hell was all that about? She frowned as she cuddled Ashton closer to her chest. "What about you, Embry? Seeing anyone?" She deflected his question back onto him.

"Yeah, her name's Maria. We'll have to go out as a foursome sometime." Embry smiled at her.

"Foursome?" Bella questioned.

"He means as a group." Jacob corrected Embry quickly.

"Right." Bella turned her attention to Quil. "What about you?"

Quil grinned at her, flexing his muscles. "I'm not a one woman man, Bella. I like to play the field."

"Yeah, I can believe that." She raised her eyebrows at him again. He really hadn't matured at all. "So, can any of you dish the dirt on Jake here. He keeps avoiding my question about the woman in his life. Who is she?"

Silence greeted her question as she saw Embry and Quil look straight at Jacob as if asking his permission to speak. What the hell was going on here?

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


	4. Chapter 4

**Peace**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-this is for Moonlight Howling who asked me to update this story! Thanks for the reviews! Nikki :) I have become obsessed with watching The Musketeers on BBC1, I feel a one-shot coming on, LOL ;)**_

**Chapter Four**

Bella gazed at Quil and Embry expectantly as they continued to look at Jacob. "Jeez, guys you don't have to answer if it's that big of a deal." She finally said; jiggling Ashton around in her arms as he was getting restless.

Jacob glared at his friends before putting his arm around Bella's waist instinctively and drawing her closer. "Ignore them, they're just being their usual idiotic selves."

"Right." Bella still couldn't understand what the big mystery was but she was done asking. It was really none of her business anyway. She smiled at Embry. "So what's it like working for Jakey boy here? Is he a good boss?"

Embry seemed relieved at the change of subject. "He likes to think he's the boss, Bella." He joked lamely.

"Yeah." Quil interjected. "Without us the place would have been shut down after the first day."

"Keep living in cloud cuckoo land Quil." Jacob cuffed his friend on the back of the head. "I'm going to treat Bells and Ash to some lunch. Do you want me to being you anything back?"

"Hell yeah." Quil grabbed a pencil from the desk in the little office and began to make a list. Bella watched in amusement as he passed it back to Jacob; he wanted enough food for three people. She waited for Jacob to make a joke about his appetite, but he just shoved the paper in his pocket and promised to drop the food off afterwards.

Embry and Quil gave her a friendly hug before she left and waved at Ashton as she began to walk away. She leaned close to Jacob as they reached the entrance to the garage. "Are you really going to buy Quil all that food? There's loads on that list." She whispered.

Jacob chuckled at her bemused expression. "Quil's got a huge gaping hole where his stomach should be. What can I say? I'm a good boss."

Bella dug him in the ribs with her elbow and he pretended to wince. "Still bony." He quipped.

"Still deluded." She retorted with a smile. Ashton let out a soft burp and he giggled making both of them laugh.

* * *

Jacob took Bella to the local diner in Forks. Bella felt like she had gone back in time, nothing had really changed at all. She and her friends used to hang out there daily after school. Cora, the waitress who had been there since it had opened, came over to serve them. She did a double take when she saw Bella.

"You're Chief Swan's kid, aren't ya."

"I sure am." Bella smiled at her. "I haven't been home in a while."

Cora took a pencil from behind her ear and flipped open her little notepad. "Yeah, I remember your dad was quite down when you left. Who's the little fella?"

"This is my son, Ashton." Bella tickled his cheek, making him gurgle in his high chair.

"Aww he's a cutie. He doesn't look much like his dad, does he?" Cora glanced at Jacob.

Bella froze, her hands clenching in her lap. Jacob reached across and took one of them, uncurling her fingers and lacing them with his own. He took over the conversation. "As much as I would love this little guy to be mine he's not." He said easily.

"Oh, sorry." Cora said awkwardly. "Um...can I take your order?"

Jacob reeled a list of food off the menu, including the stuff that Quil had wanted. He asked Cora if she could put the food in a bag for him to collect when they left. She nodded and retreated from the table quickly, still feeling uncomfortable. Bella relaxed when she left. "I'm sorry." She murmured.

"Hey, there's nothing to apologise for." Jacob smiled at her and Bella found the tension easing away.

The food arrived quickly and once again Bella was amazed at how much Jacob was eating. He seemed unconcerned as she watched him devour his meal and all the extras. It seemed that it wasn't only Quil who had a gargantuan appetite. She only picked at her own meal, concentrating instead on feeding Ashton.

"You should eat more, Bells." Jacob chided her gently. "Looking after Ash must take a lot of energy."

Bella was just about to issue a retort and say it was none of his business, when she saw the concerned look in his eyes. He was only thinking of her well being, it was part of his nature to care for others. She knew how much he had to do for Billy on a daily basis. Instead she patted his hand. "I'll try."

"Cool." Jacob smiled at her before turning his attention to Ashton, keeping her son occupied while she finished up her small meal.

* * *

After they dropped off Quil's order at the garage, they walked slowly back to the Swan house, taking their time as it was a nice afternoon. The sun was out and Ashton seemed fascinated by the shadows it was casting in front of him, he kept trying to reach out and grab things, only to find his hand going through them. Bella and Jacob laughed as he began to study his hand instead, turning his fingers around until he nearly went cross eyed as he was concentrating so hard.

"He is so you." Jacob took Ashton out of Bella's arms and held the little boy in front of him. Ashton's lips parted in a smile as he let out another soft burp.

"Now he's copying you." Bella said in amusement.

"I burp because I enjoy my food. It's a man thing. Right Ash?" Jacob patted the little boy on the back, making him burp again. "See?"

It felt good to smile, Bella couldn't recall the last time she had really done so. It was all down to Jacob. There was just something about him that brought the best out in people, no one could be sad around him for long. She wondered again who his mystery girlfriend was. They had finally reached the house. Bella took Ashton back from him and stood at the bottom of the stairs awkwardly.

"Well, thanks for today. I had a great time."

Jacob smiled at her, seeming suddenly shy as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "You're welcome. I had a great time too, so I was kinda wondering whether you would like to meet up again tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow night?" Bella bit her lip nervously, wondering how to respond, she really wasn't up for socializing and she didn't want to get in the way. Jacob's mystery girlfriend would start to get peeved if she kept monopolizing his time."That's very kind of you, Jake. But I think I'll pass. I've taken up enough of your time already."

"Come on, Bells." He pleaded with her. "We're having a beach party. A lot of my friends are going to be there, they all want to meet you. Charlie's coming, so is my dad and Sue and Harry."

"I can't bring Ashton." Bella said apologetically, thinking she had found a way out.

"Everyone's kids are going to be there. If Ash gets tired we can just go back to my house and put him to sleep there. You can all stay over." Jacob suggested eagerly. "It'll be fun, everyone wants to meet you."

"Meet me?" Bella asked in confusion. She clutched Ashton close to her chest. "Why? They don't even know me that well."

Jacob seemed to realise he had messed up, he began to backtrack a little. "Well some of them remember you. There's Quil and Embry of course. Then there's Leah, you remember her, right? She's going to be there with her husband Sam and their daughter."

"Leah Clearwater is married and has a kid?" Bella said in surprise. Tomboyish Leah had been the last person she had expected to settle down so early.

"Yeah, she's been married two years and has an eighteen month old daughter, Liza." Jacob told her.

"Wow, I wasn't expecting that." Bella's curiosity was piqued. She and Leah hadn't been that close back in the day, but she had always admired the older girl's fearlessness and tenacity. "Is Seth still living at home?"

"He is." Jacob looked at her from under his long lashes, making Bella laugh.

"You still use that puppy dog face, Jake?"

"Has it worked?" He asked.

Bella bit her lip again before finally agreeing. "Okay why not? What time do you want us there?" Maybe she would get to see his girlfriend at this beach party.

"I'll pick you up at four. Dress warmly it can get cold on the beach." Jacob reached out and touched her cheek gently before leaving. "See you tomorrow, honey."

"See you." Bella waved at him as he left.

* * *

Charlie was touched when he came home from a hectic day at work to find a cooked meal waiting for him. He couldn't remember the last time he had the pleasure. Well he could, it was when Bella was still living with him. He took his coat and gun belt off and made himself comfortable.

"This looks delicious, kiddo? Where's Ashton?" He asked.

"Oh, he's asleep. He wore himself out chasing shadows along the floor." Bella smiled at the memory of her son crawling around, trying to stop the shadows moving and becoming frustrated when he couldn't catch hold of them. He had rolled on his back in the end and glared at his hands and feet as if blaming them for not moving fast enough.

"Huh?" Charlie said with his mouth full.

"Oh it's his new thing." Bella smiled as she made them both a coffee and sat down opposite him while he ate.

"I hope you've eaten today young lady, you are too thin." Charlie waved his fork at her.

"You sound like Jake. Yes dad I've eaten. Jake bought me a big lunch at the diner." Bella picked up her mug and clutched it in her hands to warm her fingers.

"Well he's right. Did you have fun?" Charlie asked, trying to be casual and failing badly.

Bella rolled her eyes at him. "Yes dad I had fun. He took me to see his business. It's amazing. He's still so young and already runs his own place."

"He's a hard worker." Charlie acknowledged as he cleared his plate. He sat back and patted his stomach in satisfaction. "That was lovely, kiddo. Thank you."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Bella sat back and sipped her coffee. "Can I ask you something about Jake, dad?"

"Of course." Charlie looked at her curiously.

"Well I kept asking him if he was seeing someone, but he was very cagey and kept deflecting my questions. Even his friends were the same. They acted oddly to tell the truth. Do you know what the big secret is?" Bella asked.

"Well Jake has been really busy. He has a lot on his plate, looking after Billy, keeping on top of the house repairs and putting in long hours at the garage. I don't think there's any mystery I just doubt he has time to date anyone seriously that's all." Charlie picked up his plate and dumped it in the sink. His next words startled her. "He always had a major crush on you though."

"What?" Bella nearly dropped her coffee. "Don't be daft. Jake and I were only ever friends when I lived here."

Charlie raised his eyebrows at her. "Yeah, maybe for you, but that boy was besotted with you if I recall. Everyone could see it."

"Don't be absurd." Bella said dismissively. "He was only fifteen when I left and I would have known."

"You were too blind, kiddo. Jake was devastated when you left to live with your mom. Billy used to tell me he lived for those letters you used to write to him and then when you stopped communicating he was crushed. We all still thought at the time you would return home when Renee got better, but then you met Ryan..." Charlie shrugged.

Bella felt shame wash over her. She had stopped writing when she met Ryan, she had been so caught up in her new romance, La Push and Jacob had seemed so far away. "I didn't know." She muttered.

Charlie patted her on the back. "Don't stress over it, kiddo. It was a long time ago. Jake hasn't said anything has he?"

"No." Bella replied, cheering up. Her dad was right, she doubted Jake even thought about it anymore. "Still I'm determined to find out who he is seeing. He must have someone, a guy like that is never single."

"Why does it matter to you so much who he is dating?" Charlie questioned her astutely.

Bella's face reddened as she finished her coffee. "It doesn't. I just want to see him happy that's all. I'm going to check on Ashton." She hurried out of the room.

"If you say so, kiddo." Charlie smiled to himself as he began to wash up.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


	5. Chapter 5

**Peace**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews. Nikki :)**_

**Chapter Five**

Bella climbed out of the cruiser and shut the door. She then carefully unclipped Ashton from his car seat and transferred him to a harness she had strapped to her front. Ashton smiled up at her, bending his head back so he could see her better. Bella smiled back at him, rubbing his soft downy hair.

"You and mommy are going to have fun this afternoon. We're going to a party." She cooed.

"I'll take the travel cot and the other bags inside the house." Charlie called over to her.

"Okay dad. Thanks." Bella focused all her attention on her son as she followed him more slowly into the Black's little house.

As soon as she reached the door Jacob emerged to greet her. "You came."

"I said I would." Bella replied.

"I know but I was just a bit worried I'd pushed you too hard." Jacob took her hand. "I'm glad you're here."

"I am too actually." Bella allowed him to lead her inside the house.

Jacob reached across and tickled Ashton under his chin, making him giggle. "Hey Ash, welcome to my home."

"You are so corny." Bella squeezed his fingers before letting go.

"I try." Jacob grinned at her happily, their eyes locked for a moment until Charlie coughed, bringing them back into the moment.

"I've put the cot in the twin's old room, along with the bags. Billy wants to head down to the beach now if you all feel up for it. He reckons the food will be ready and the little ones will be able to eat, then play." Charlie had a knowing look in his eyes as he smiled at them both.

Bella felt her cheeks flush red. "Well I'm ready."

"And me. I'm always up for some food." Jacob joked, automatically reaching for Bella's hand again.

"I'll bring your dad. You both go on ahead." Charlie suggested.

"Are you sure?" Bella checked. "I mean we can all walk together."

"No, go ahead. Honestly we'll be there soon." Charlie ushered them out of the house.

When they were gone, Billy rolled his chair out from his room. "Have they gone?"

"Yeah." Charlie grinned down at his old friend. "You should see the two of them, Billy. They are like a couple of nervous teenagers."

"Well some time alone should hopefully break the tension between them. We'll give them five minutes and then head down to the beach ourselves. Fancy a beer while we wait, Chief?" Billy was already by the fridge, opening it.

"I thought you would never ask." Charlie replied, rubbing his hands together.

* * *

"It's so lovely here." Bella said as she glanced around at the scenery. "I had forgotten how beautiful it can be in the summer."

"Yeah. I suppose I forget myself. I see it everyday and just take it for granted, you know." Jacob put his hand casually on the small of Bella's back as they negotiated their way over the rocky ground.

She could feel the heat from his hand warm her skin, even through the fleece she was wearing. Jacob was certainly hot in every respect. Her cheeks flushed again as she dismissed the thought and kept her eyes trained to the ground. The last thing she wanted to do was trip while carrying Ashton in his harness.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Jacob asked her after a moment of silence.

"Old times." Bella smiled at him shyly, the blush blooming along her cheeks. Jacob thought she looked more beautiful then ever and his heart did a flip. "Do you remember that year you tried to get me to dive from the cliff face?"

Jacob laughed. "Oh yeah, it was only a few feet from the water but you just wouldn't jump."

"Not until Quil shoved me in." Bella shook her head at the memory. She had stood frozen on the bank for fifteen minutes before Quil had impatiently shoved her in the water. She had resurfaced coughing and spluttering only to see Jacob and Quil on the ground fighting. "You defended my honor even then."

"Quil was an idiot doing that." Jacob frowned. "He deserved it, you could have been hurt."

Bella put a hand on his arm as she saw the angry light in his eyes. "Hey, don't stress over it. Like you said it wasn't deep. I was perfectly fine."

Jacob shook himself. "Sorry. I just hate the thought of you being hurt that's all."

Bella smiled at him fondly and linked her arm through his. "That's what makes you such a special guy, Jacob Black."

Jacob flashed her his sunny smile as they continued to walk to the beach.

* * *

Bella was stunned when she saw the set up for the beach party. There were several tables lined with food in a buffet style. Already there were quite a few people she didn't recognize lining up to fill their plates. There was an assortment of both alcoholic and soft drinks piled up on a separate table, plus several chairs scatted haphazardly along the sand for people to rest in if they so wished. The centerpiece though had to be the huge bonfire that had been erected. It wasn't lit yet, but Bella could just imagine how amazing it would look when darkness fell. She stared around as she stayed close to Jacob's side as they joined the throng of people; her arms wound around Ashton protectively.

"Hey, over here." Bella heard Embry's voice hailing them from further down the beach. She strained her eyes and saw him holding up some plates of food. "I've saved you some."

Jacob gently guided her over in his friend's direction; he greeted people as he passed. A lot of them were women and Bella wondered which one's he had either dated or was involved with. Most of them were stunners; their tan skin and dark eyes made her feel pale and insignificant.

"Are you okay, Bells? You look a bit worried." Jacob's voice sounding so close to her ear pulled her out of her reverie.

"No, I'm fine. Just feeling a bit overwhelmed with all these people." She mumbled.

"A lot of them will be gone when night draws in. They come for the food and to let their kids muck around. It will get more intimate later." He took her hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

"Not interrupting are we?"Quil appeared by their side.

Jacob glared at his friend, making Quil lower his head. Bella looked at him curiously. How odd? It was just Quil being Quil. "Sorry dude."

Embry joined them. He handed Jacob the plates and pointed over to a spot he had cleared just for them. He led Bella over to a chair. "You sit there."

"Thanks." Bella began to unstrap Ashton from his carrier. Embry spread a blanket on the sand and she placed her son down.

"I made up a plate especially for the little fella. He can eat this stuff can't he?" Embry handed her a plate with a few easy to eat treats.

"Yeah, thanks. I've brought some food for Ashton anyway." She slipped off the chair and made herself comfortable next to her son, handing him a soft biscuit. Ashton clutched it in his chubby fist and began to chew on it.

Jacob sat down beside her, crossing his long legs as he did so. He passed her a plate and looked at her meaningfully. "Eat, Bells." He ordered her.

Bella rolled her eyes at him and picked up a sausage roll, taking a huge bite while crossing her eyes. "Is that good enough for you, dad?" She quipped.

Embry and Quil snorted with laughter while Jacob grinned at her. "When you've cleared the plate then I'll be happy little girl."

Bella hit him playfully on the arm as she joined in the laughter. Ashton peered up at them all, giggling right along with them.

* * *

The afternoon turned into evening. As they sat on their little spot on the beach, several people came to join them. Seth, Leah's younger brother, was the first to do so. Bella was amazed at how big he had grown. It must be a La Push thing, all the young men she had been introduced to as being in Jacob's close circle of friend's were big and muscular. Seth wasn't much shorter then Jacob and his muscles bulged under his t-shirt. There was one thing about him that hadn't changed, his happy go lucky nature. He chattered away easily to her as if they saw each other every day. Bella liked Seth a lot.

The group swelled as another couple called Jared and Kim joined them. Bella made small talk with them, but found Kim hard to converse with as she was so shy. She hid behind her boyfriend a lot, letting him do most of the talking. Bella thought she was a pretty girl but needed to come out of herself more. Jared, like Seth, was easy to talk to. Another guy she vaguely remembered, Paul Lahote arrived, carrying a case of beer. He dumped it on the sand and began to make a nuisance of himself, upsetting little Ashton, until Jacob ordered him to leave. Bella was astounded to see Paul hang his head, much like Quil had done earlier, as he quickly apologized and left.

"Sorry about that, Bells." Jacob had pulled Ashton onto his lap and was jiggling him about until his tears stopped. "Lahote can be quite loud. He means no harm though."

"That's okay." Bella forced a smile onto her face. She didn't like seeing her son upset.

A lot of girls tried to attract Jacob's attention as the hours passed. He would answer their questions politely but refuse to join them, stating he had company. One woman was particularly persistent. Her name was Maria and she was a beauty. Her long silky black hair fell to her waist and her eyes were like melting chocolate as they zeroed in on Jacob as she strode confidently toward him. Bella envied her as she watched Maria sway her hips, her tight jeans and short cropped top emphasizing each and every curve.

"Why haven't you come to see me yet, Jake?" Maria had purred as she put a territorial hand on his shoulder.

Jacob had shrugged off her hand easily. "I'm busy." He had said in a bored tone.

"Too busy for me?" Maria had pouted, fluffing her hair as she did so.

"Still stalking the chief's son." Another woman's voice had interrupted Maria's flirting.

"Oh it's you, Leah. Still have no manners I see." Maria had snapped, her baby voice disappearing.

"Still a bitch, Maria. Get lost." Leah had pushed past Maria and made herself comfortable on the sand.

"Jake, are you going to let her speak to me like that?" Maria had turned her doe eyes onto him.

Jacob had just grinned and then turned his back on her. Maria had narrowed her eyes and flashing Leah one last glare had stalked off.

"You've got to get rid of her, Jake." Leah had reached over to hug him.

"I've been blunt but she never seems to get the message. Anyway enough about her. You remember Bella, right?" Jacob put his hand on Bella's arm.

Leah smiled at her, assessing Bella with shrewd eyes. "Good to see you again, Bella."

"You too." Bella returned her smile falteringly. "Jake tells me you have a daughter."

"That's right." Leah turned to look over her shoulder. "Here she comes."

Bella's smile widened as she saw a young toddler holding onto a tall, good looking man's hand as she wobbled on her legs across the sand. The man must be Sam, he was nearly bent double but was patiently letting his daughter take her time. The little girl was the replica of her mother, she had Leah's eyes and hair and also her determination it seemed.

"That's Liza. Now she's found her feet she won't let you carry her anywhere." Leah laughed as she jumped nimbly back onto her feet and ran over to her daughter.

* * *

When darkness fell the bonfire was lit. The young children still left on the beach gasped in delight as they watched the flames light the sky, tendrils of smoke drifting up toward the stars. Billy called everyone over to gather around him, the storytelling was about to begin. Everyone made a circle around Billy as he sat proudly in the center, his wise eyes observing everything around him. Jacob was carrying Ashton, the little boy had fallen asleep and was now resting his head on Jacob's broad shoulder as he dozed. Bella sat beside Jacob in the sand as they joined the group. He smiled at her as she rested her head on his other shoulder and gazed spellbound at Billy as he began to weave his magic.

* * *

"That was amazing." Bella said in delight when Billy had finished his last tale. Everyone had now broken off into small groups. She could see her dad standing with Billy and Leah's parents, Sue and Harry Clearwater.

"My old man certainly hasn't lost his touch." Jacob agreed. Ashton was now awake again and was staring with interest at the fire as it glowed in the night.

"He sure hasn't." Bella stroked her son's head as he looked around. "Thanks for bringing me here tonight, Jake. I've had fun."

"I'm glad you came." Jacob touched her cheek gently, letting his fingers linger on her smooth skin. Bella could feel the blush beginning to coat her cheeks. "I suppose we better get this little one into bed."

"Yeah, I suppose." Bella echoed him. Jacob was gazing at her tenderly and it felt like she had butterflies in her stomach. She hadn't felt that since she had first met Ryan. Guilt washed over her as she tore her eyes away from his. "Let's go." She whispered.

Jacob could sense that she was upset about something. He sighed as he helped her to rise. "Would you like me to carry Ash?" He offered.

Bella bit her lip for a moment. Her head was filled with images of Ryan. She pushed them deep down into her heart and nodded. Her legs felt wobbly and she didn't trust herself to make it back to the house without tripping. "Thanks."

"No problem, honey." Jacob took Ashton from her and held him easily in his arms. Ashton was delighted with this change. He clapped his hands and beamed at Jacob.

Bella couldn't help smiling herself at her son's enthusiasm. He had certainly taken a liking to Jacob. They walked side by side in relative silence, occasionally exchanging looks and secretive smiles. Bella was pondering over the evenings events. It had shown her what a wonderful life Jacob had built for himself here. He had a wide circle of friends, a good job, people respected him. The way people did as he ordered was of special interest to her. When he had snapped at Paul and Quil, neither of them had answered him back, immediately doing as he bid them. Maybe it had something to do with him being the future chief of the tribe.

This thought brought Maria back into her mind. She wondered what the connection was between her and Jacob. Was Maria an old flame? He certainly hadn't seemed interested in the girl at all. In fact he hadn't shown preference for any of the girls who had tried to grab his attention throughout the party. His sole attention had been focused on her and Ashton. She was no closer to finding out who the woman was in his life.

"We're here, Bells." Jacob's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Oh." She laughed in embarrassment.

Jacob grinned at her as he opened the door and let her through first. He switched on the lights and flooded the house with light. Bella blinked for a couple of moments as her eyes got used to the brightness. Ashton yawned widely, his eyes beginning to droop. "I better get this little one to bed." She took her son from Jacob, feeling her face heat up as he gave her that intense look again.

"If you need anything just call me." Jacob touched her cheek again with his fingers, flooding Bella's skin with warmth. Her heart sped up in her chest.

"Um...thanks. Goodnight Jake." She whispered.

"Goodnight, honey." Jacob leaned down and pressed his lips into her hair. "Night Ash."

Bella smiled at him nervously before fleeing to the twin's room where she would be spending the night. As she leaned against the closed door to get her breath back, her free hand wandered up to the spot on her cheek where Jacob had touched it. She could still feel the warmth. A tear rolled down her face as guilt washed over her again. Ryan...she had to think of Ryan...With this mantra running through her addled brain, Bella got Ashton ready for bed.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Peace**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Chapter 6**

Jacob woke up to the sound of crying. His sensitive ears showed him that it wasn't Ashton who was upset, but Bella. It wasn't a loud sobbing, he doubted Charlie or his father would be able to hear, not even Ashton. He pondered what to do for a moment; it was tearing at his heart to hear her weeping, he longed to comfort her. After debating whether it was a good idea, Jacob decided to act on his instincts and go to check on her. It was dark in the hallway but Jacob's night vision was flawless. He approached the door to his sister's old room and knocked softly before opening it.

His heart just about broke when he saw Bella. She was sitting up in one of the twin beds, a pillow clutched to her chest as she cried silent tears. Her hand was stuffed in her mouth to stifle the sobs so as not to awaken Ashton. Jacob could see that her son was fast asleep in his cot. He walked on silent feet over to Bella and sat beside her, wordlessly taking her into his arms and holding her. Bella buried her head in his shoulder and continued to cry while Jacob held her. He didn't say anything, just kept his arms tight around her while she grieved.

When she had no more tears to shed, Bella pulled away from him and wiped her hands furiously over her reddened eyes. "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"Don't be." Jacob whispered as he smoothed her hair back from her face. "Are you feeling better now?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah...thank you."

"No worries." Jacob dared to press a quick kiss on top of her head before reluctantly getting up.

Bella reached out to stop him. "Stay." She pleaded. "I don't want to be alone."

Jacob studied her for a second before settling back down. He opened his arms and she rested her head gratefully on his chest. Within moments she was asleep. He stayed awake for a while, gently running his hands through her silky hair as she slept. He wondered how often she stayed awake at night and cried. It hurt him to think that she was still grieving for Ryan, but doing so alone without telling anyone how she was feeling. It explained why she seemed to castigate herself for even feeling a moments happiness. Jacob vowed to help her through this process. Bella was everything to him and he would die for her if need be. She had no idea just how in love with her he was, but right now she needed his friendship and that is what he would give her.

* * *

Bella was alone when she woke up. Her hand wandered to the spot beside her. It still felt warm so he must have just got up himself. She knew he had done so deliberately for her sake to avoid any embarrassment on her part about the night before. Her heart swelled at his thoughtfulness, he really was a great guy and that was what she loved about him. Love? Bella mentally slapped herself for using that word. She meant it in terms of friendship only. Her need for comfort because she was missing Ryan was making her think and act irrationally. Shaking herself she got out of bed and checked on her sleeping son. A smile touched her lips as she saw Ashton lying awake on his back, one hand desperately trying to grab his feet. He gurgled at her as she touched his cheek.

"Morning baby. Mommy loves you so much you know." She whispered tenderly.

Ashton beamed at her, his arms reaching out to be picked up. Bella carefully lifted him from his cot and kissed the top of his head. "Let's get some breakfast shall we?"

Ashton touched her cheek with one of his hands, catching a stray tear that had escaped. Bella kissed him again as she carried him out of the room and headed to the kitchen.

* * *

"Wow Jake you didn't have to do all this." Bella said in wonder as she sat down at the kitchen table, Ashton resting on her lap.

"Technically I didn't." Jacob admitted. "My dad cooked. If I tried this kitchen would be covered in smoke."

Bella laughed at his rueful expression. "So there is something the great Jake Black can't do, huh?"

"Yeah, just one of my few flaws." Jacob smiled at her as he whisked Ashton from her lap. "Now you eat while I feed the little fella."

"Okay, thanks." Bella smiled at him, the burden weighing her shoulders down lightening a little. "Where's our dad's by the way?"

"They've gone fishing." Jacob told her as he placed Ashton in his high chair. "Charlie said they would be gone most of the day so you're stuck with me I'm afraid."

"I think I can handle that." Bella began to tuck in to the cooked breakfast. It had been a long time since she had an appetite, but the smell of bacon was making her mouth water. She watched Jacob out the corner of her eye as he fed Ashton some sloppy cereal. Her son sprayed more over Jacob's t-shirt then he got in his mouth. "Need help?" She asked.

"No we're good. Come on Ash be kind to me." Jacob used the age old trick of pretending the spoon was an aeroplane but Ashton was too wise for that. As soon as the spoon reached his lips, he clamped his small teeth on it and refused to swallow. Jacob tried to wiggle the spoon in but Ashton just spat it back out, spraying more food over Jacob.

Bella laughed. They both looked so adorable together. Jacob seemed totally bemused as he tried his best to get Ashton to open his mouth and swallow. "Are you sure you don't need help?" She asked again.

"Um...yeah maybe. Come on then Bells, how do you do it?" Jacob said, giving up and handing her the spoon.

"Watch." Bella approached her son, singing a nursery rhyme under her breath as she did so. Ashton seemed fascinated by the sound of her voice, his eyes locked onto her as she leaned in and blew gently on his cheek. His mouth opened as he began to giggle and Bella shoved the spoon in and Ashton swallowed without thinking.

"That is awesome." Jacob whooped. The loud noise startled Ashton as he stared over at Jacob for a moment before suddenly beaming at him and then trying to copy the sound.

Bella's cheeks were aching as she was smiling so much. It felt foreign to her, having another man sharing such sweet moments with her son. She continued to watch as Jacob continued interacting with her son, making him laugh and clap his hands in delight.

* * *

The warm water from the shower cascaded down Bella's bare skin. Washing the dirt away from the night before refreshed her. She shampooed her hair and let the suds slide down her skin. She sighed in contentment. She felt so much better today. Crying last night had been cathartic, somehow she knew she had turned a corner. It was okay to laugh and smile. Ryan would want her to rejoice in their son's happiness and delight. Bella knew she was the only one making herself miserable because she felt guilty that Ryan wasn't here to share these joyful moments.

Bella toweled herself dry and pulled on the clothes she had brought with her. She didn't know what to do with her hair so tied it up in a messy bun at the back of her head and went to rejoin her son and Jacob. She heard Ashton giggling as Jacob made different noises at him. They were both in his room waiting for her return. Before she entered, she peeked in to see exactly what they were doing. Jacob was lying on his back on his bed, his messy t-shirt abandoned on the floor. He was holding Ashton up in the air with his strong arms as he pretended to make him fly. Ashton was gurgling and flapping his arms as Jacob made him move about. Bella thought she had never seen anything as beautiful as the two of them were right then.

"Hey." She said as she slowly walked in.

Jacob flashed her his sunny smile and she felt her cheeks heat up. "Hey yourself. Ashton has been keeping me entertained while you took forever in the shower."

"I did not." Bella protested, rolling her eyes as she did so.

Jacob got up easily from his bed and passed Ashton to her. Bella clutched her son in her arms and tried her best not to stare at Jacob's incredibly ripped chest. She felt the blush creep up her face. Or maybe it was the heat pouring off of Jacob's body. He was standing very close and looking at her intently. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Bella squeaked. "Fine. Um...showers free now."

A slow smile crossed Jacob's face. "I know." He said in amusement. " I better go clean up my stinky butt."

"Uh huh." Bella couldn't seem to form words.

Jacob touched her cheek gently with his fingers and then left the room. Bella let out a slow exhalation as she looked at her son. "Don't say a word, Ash." She warned him.

Ashton just gave her a knowing smile.

* * *

"I thought we could spend the day with Sam and Lee if you're up for it, Bells?" Jacob asked her.

"Will they mind us just turning up? They might be busy." Bella said worriedly.

"No they won't care. Most of us congregate at their house during the day anyway." Jacob shrugged nonchalantly. "I think Ash would love to see little Liza again, wouldn't ya little fella?"

A frown crossed Ashton's face and he pouted. Bella hugged him to her. "Aw you'll love her sweetheart I promise."

"Ready?" Jacob held out his hand for her to take. Bella hesitated for a moment before interlacing her fingers with his. Jacob smiled at her before leading the way out of the house; a bag slung over his shoulders containing all of Ashton's things.

* * *

Sam and Leah were sitting outside their little two bed-roomed house playing with Liza when they arrived. Jacob waved as he called out his greetings. "We've come to pay you a visit."

Leah smiled at them as she got up from her seat. Liza toddled after her mother, an angry look on her pretty face. She was obviously not happy at the interruption. "Hey Jake. Hello Bella, how are you?"

Bella smiled at Leah. "Great thank you. I love your house."

Leah seemed pleased at this compliment. "Sam built it with his own two hands."

"With a lot of help from me and several others remember." Jacob interjected.

Sam came over to join them. He picked his daughter up in his arms when she began to cry to get attention. She crossed her arms and glared at Ashton mutinously. Ashton stared back at her with a frown. "Boy." She mumbled.

"Yes Liza, he is definitely a boy." Sam said with a laugh.

Liza made a disgusted noise as she muttered boy again under her breath. Leah shook her head at her daughter. "It's a new word she learned yesterday. I tried to get her to say Ash but she can't wrap her lips around it."

Jacob leaned over and ruffled Liza's hair. She glared at him instead. "Boy." She said again pointing at Ashton.

"She hates not being the center of attention." Sam told them. "Last night when everyone was cooing over Ash, this little one got jealous, didn't you missy?"

"Boy." Liza grouched again.

"She is so like you, Lee." Jacob chuckled.

Leah shot him a dark look as she took Liza from Sam. "Go and help Sam with our truck while Bella and I have a girlie chat."

"Why what's wrong with it?" Jacob asked.

"Oh it's been making some odd noises. It's the way Lee drives, she's burnt the engine out." Sam joked.

"Hey." Leah hit Sam on his arm.

"Hey." Liza copied her mother and tried to reach across to hit her dad on the arm too.

"Jeez, she's really getting feisty." Jacob laughed at the little girl's antics. "She'll break hearts one day."

"Yeah just like her mom." Sam winked at Leah playfully.

"Get out of here." Leah retorted.

The two men laughed again as they made their way to the back of the house where Sam's truck was parked. Leah turned her attention to Bella, who was gazing anxiously after Jacob. "Don't fret Bella he won't be gone long."

"I'm not worried." Bella said quickly.

"Sure. Take a seat." Leah gestured for Bella to sit down in Sam's vacated chair.

"Thank you." Bella said politely as she smiled nervously at Leah.

"No worries." Leah placed her daughter down on a blanket which had been spread on the ground. Several of her toys were scattered haphazardly about. Bella put Ashton down too as he was getting restless in her arms. He immediately crawled over to a brightly coloured plastic ring and picked it up, placing it in his mouth and sucking on it.

"Boy." Liza complained as she toddled over to him and snatched it away from him. Tears began to well up in Ashton's eyes.

"Liza." Leah admonished her. "You have to learn to share. Give that back to Ashton."

Liza pouted for a moment before doing as her mother asked. She shoved it back in Ashton's hand and watched as he beamed at her, stuffing the ring back in his mouth again. Liza watched him for a second before letting out a melodramatic sigh and sitting in front of him. The two women smiled at them and Bella found herself relaxing. She glanced around. It really was a beautiful house. It was similar in design to the Black's but was freshly painted in a soft pastel blue. Cheerful flowers hung from baskets near the door and the whole place had a welcoming atmosphere. No wonder everyone gathered here just like Jacob had divulged.

"It really is a beautiful home, Leah." Bella said again. "You must love it here."

A soft look touched Leah's eyes for a moment. "Yeah...it wasn't always easy but Sam and I got there in the end."

"Yeah life can be hard." Bella's voice was wistful as she thought about Ryan.

"How are you and Jake getting on? Things seem to be going well between you." Leah said pulling her back into the moment.

"Jake has been amazing." Bella agreed. "You should see him with Ashton. He'll make a great dad one day."

"He'll be a good dad to A..." Leah stopped speaking as she shook herself. "Sorry I'm letting my mouth run away from me again."

Bella bit down on her lip. She wasn't stupid, she knew what Leah had been about to say. It was all so obvious. They all seemed to think she was dating Jacob. Maybe that explained why they were all so cautious about telling her about his past relationships. She opened her mouth to make it clear that they were just good friends when Jacob and Sam returned.

"Well what's the verdict?" Leah asked her husband.

Sam sighed. "It needs a new gasket. Jake said he could source one cheaper for us and save on the cost a little."

Leah sighed. "Damn thing. It always goes when there's no money in the pot."

"We'll be fine, Lee." Sam chided her gently.

"We would be if Emily would stop asking for such huge alimony payouts." Leah suddenly snapped.

"Lee not now." Sam cautioned her.

Leah shot him a dark look before swiftly getting up. "I'm going to make us some drinks. Excuse me, Bella."

Bella nodded. Sam sighed as he followed his wife inside. "That was awkward." She whispered to Jacob who had come to sit beside her. "Who is Emily?"

Jacob winced. "Emily is Sam's first wife. They divorced a while ago but he still has to send her payments each month for support. She keeps stirring up things between him and Leah. It was all rather messy."

"Oh..." Bella didn't know what to say. "I thought that Sam and Leah were childhood sweethearts. How did he get mixed up with Emily?"

A sad look crossed Jacob's face. "I'll tell you one day, Bells. But not right now." He whispered.

"Okay." Bella could see he was looking upset. She dropped the subject and focused her attention on the children instead.

Jacob watched her with a worried frown on his face. He was angry at Leah for bringing that up. He was trying to ease Bella gently into life on the reservation. Luckily she didn't seem too interested to pry further into Sam and Leah's past. He would have to have another word with his brothers to make sure there were no more slip ups.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


	7. Chapter 7

**Peace **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you for the lovely reviews. Nikki :)**_

**Chapter 7**

Jacob was busy all morning at work; there was a steady flow of cars coming in. Embry was manning the phones and dealing with the paperwork, while Quil helped Jacob repair the cars. Lunchtime rolled around before he was even aware of it.

"Hey dude I'm off to get some lunch. Want me to bring you back anything?" Quil asked as he cleaned up his hands with an oily rag.

Jacob poked his head out from under the hood of a car he had been servicing. "Is it twelve already?"

"Yeah." Quil rubbed his stomach.

"Just get me a burger and some fries." Jacob told him as he went back to examining the engine. "Take the money out of the petty cash."

"Will do." Quil called out as he headed into the office. Jacob heard him asking Embry if he wanted anything too before he left.

Embry came out of the office with a mug of coffee and handed it to Jacob. He took it gratefully and drank it down in one go. "Didn't you want to go with Quil and take a break?" He asked, handing the empty mug back to Embry.

"Nah, not really." Embry shrugged.

Jacob studied his friend for a moment, Embry looked particularly downcast. He stopped what he was doing and wiped his hands on the front of his jeans. "What's wrong, Em? You don't seem your usual self."

Embry was quiet for a few seconds as he spun the mug around in his hands. "Maria and I broke up."

"What?" Jacob said in surprise. He had thought things were going well between them, although he had wondered why Embry hadn't brought her to the beach party. "Why?"

Embry sighed. "She got tired of my endless excuses as to why I kept disappearing all the time. Seems she met someone who could give her his whole attention."

"I'm sorry." Jacob put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I had no idea."

"I'm sick of this, Jake. All these secrets." Embry said bitterly. "How are any of us supposed to have a proper relationship with anyone when we can't even reveal what is really going on in our lives."

Jacob frowned. "You know why, Em. We can't just tell anyone. What if you had told Maria? How would she have reacted? It's important we make dead sure that whoever we choose to settle down with can handle such a huge secret and be able to cope with it daily."

"That's just bull. It's alright for Jared, he's imprinted with Kim. He has no worries." Embry retorted.

"Maybe so, but do you really want your choice taken away from you, Embry?" Jacob said sharply. "Look how imprinting messed up Sam and Leah. They had to fight hard to be where they are now."

"I know that." Embry ran a hand through his short hair, making it stand up in spikes. "But what about you? Secrets can kill a relationship, Jake. Do you really think you are doing the right thing hiding from Bella what you really are? Life as part of our group is hard and she has her son to think about."

Jacob picked up a wrench and twirled it expertly between his fingers as he listened to what Embry was saying. "I want to tread carefully with Bells, Em. I lost her once before, I can't risk it again. I can feel her slowly opening up to the idea of us as a couple. Dumping everything on her right now could spook her and make her run."

"It could also make her run if she finds out you've been keeping this whole other side to yourself a secret from her. Relationships are built on trust. No matter how much you love each other, if there's no trust it will all fall apart. I know how it nearly killed you when she left to live with her mom, Jake." Embry replied, his eyes sad. "I think you should be honest with her."

Jacob felt nausea well up in his stomach. Embry had a good point, but he was feeling scared and apprehensive. His friend had no idea what Bella had already been through. Telling her everything about himself could drive her away from him for good. He gripped the wrench tightly in his fist. "I'll think about it." He muttered.

Embry just nodded and headed back to the office, leaving Jacob alone to think.

* * *

Bella spent the morning visiting all her old haunts. She headed over to her old high school, pushing Ashton in his stroller in front of her. They stopped in front of the gates and she knelt down beside her son and pointed through the railings at the imposing buildings. "That's where your mommy went to school once."

Ashton yawned widely. The motion of the push chair was making him sleepy. Bella smiled to herself as she stroked his cheek gently. She got back up and left, walking aimlessly, having no particular direction in mind. As she neared the diner she heard someone calling her name. She glanced up and saw Quil coming out of the diner clutching some takeout in his hands.

"Hey Bella." He jogged over to join her. "What have you been up to this morning?"

"Hi Quil." She greeted him. "Nothing much. Just looking around the places I used to hang out with my friends back in the day."

Quil laughed. "Yeah Forks is such a happening place."

Bella smiled wryly. "Well I still found things to do. Is that your lunch?"

"Not all of it this time." Quil held up the food. "Some is for Jake and Em. You should join us."

Bella shook her head. "I don't want to impose."

"Don't be daft. I know Jake would love to see you. He's been pining the last few days because you've been so busy."

Bella felt her cheeks turning red. How she hated the fact that she kept blushing every time someone mentioned Jake's name. "I've just been settling in you know. I don't want to monopolize Jake's time."

Quil looked at her curiously. "Why do you think that? Jake enjoys spending time with you. Isn't it obvious?"

Bella bit her lip nervously, feeling awkward discussing her friendship with Jacob, with Quil of all people. "Um...maybe."

Quil put a hand on her arm, making Bella gaze at him in surprise. "I don't usually like speaking behind Jake's back, Bella, but there are some things you should know about him."

"What?" Bella felt alarmed now. The usually jubilant Quil looked so serious.

"He is going to kick my ass but I don't give a shit. Jake cares deeply for you Bella. No damn it, he is in love with you and has been since a teenager. When you left and then stopped writing to him, it just about broke him. He was devastated."

"It was just a crush." Bella said lamely.

"No it wasn't." Quil said gently. "Jake adored you and still does. He's not like me, when he falls in love, that's it. He is a one woman man. I'm not saying he has lived like a monk for the past few years, he's dated but hasn't let any of them get close. It's like he has always been waiting for you to come back. When he heard from Charlie that you were returning he was ecstatic."

Bella felt overwhelmed. She clutched the handles of the stroller tightly as she tried to keep her emotions in check. "Why are you telling me this?" She choked out.

"Because he's my friend and I don't want to see him jerked around. If you are not serious about him then walk away now and let him finally move on." Quil stated bluntly.

Bella glared at him as she blinked back tears. Thoughts of Ryan and his violent death were reverberating around her brain. The peace she had just found over the last few days disappeared in a puff of smoke. "I don't think I'll be able to join you guys for lunch." She mumbled. "See you around, Quil."

Quil sighed as he watched her walk away, her back ramrod straight. Jacob was definitely going to go after him for what he had just done but he felt justified. He didn't want to see his friend hurt again.

* * *

Jacob hit Quil hard on the jaw, making him fall backwards onto the hard concrete floor of the garage. He stood over him, his whole body shaking with anger. "You had no right to say any of that to Bells. You have no idea what she has been through. You have fucked everything up."

Quil rubbed his jaw as she stared up at his friend. The cut on his lip was already healing as the skin closed up and the blood stopped dripping down his chin. "She needed to be told. I did it for your sake believe it or not. She left you high and dry the first time. I know what that cost you."

Embry came out of the office to see what all the fuss was about. He raised his eyebrows when he saw Quil sprawled on the floor. "What did you do now?"

"He interfered and told Bella how deeply I feel for her and mentioned what happened when she left. He more or less warned her off." Jacob growled.

Embry shook his head as he glared down at Quil. "You fucking idiot."

"She needed to be told. All this dancing around, it's ridiculous." Quil snapped as he jumped easily back onto his feet.

Jacob was about to punch him again when Embry got between them. "Get out of the way, Em." Jacob warned him.

"No." Embry put his hands out to keep them separated. "As much as I hate how the idiot has gone about it, maybe it's for the best. I remember how bad it was for you, Jake. I don't want to see you brought that low again. Perhaps she'll..."

"You have no idea, either of you, what Bells has been through." Jacob ground out, his eyes fierce.

His two friends could feel the Alpha power pouring off of him and they stepped back, both unable to look him in the eyes. "I was looking out for you, dude." Quil mumbled again.

"Bells was heavily pregnant when she had to watch the father of her child gunned down in cold blood right in front of her." Jacob grabbed hold of Quil's shirt in his fist and shoved him back so he staggered. "She is still traumatised by it. She came to live with Charlie so she could get away from the awful memories. The last thing she needed was to hear that crap from your mouth. She was just beginning to relax properly around me and now you've messed it up."

Quil stared at him in horror. "I didn't know...I didn't think..."

"No that's your problem, Quil, you never do. Now get the fuck out of my face." Jacob roared.

Quil had no choice but to obey. He cast Jacob one last apologetic glance before he fled. Jacob put his hands in his hair and pulled at the short strands as he tried to get himself under control. The muscles along his arms and chest rippled as the urge to phase became overwhelming. He hadn't felt this out of control in years.

"I'm sorry Jake." Embry said quietly. "You're right, none of us should have interfered. No wonder you were treading so carefully around her."

Jacob closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, trying to get himself under control. "This is a complete disaster. How am I supposed to sort this out now?"

Embry could hear the devastation in Jacob's voice. "Go and speak to her man. I'll keep an eye on things here. Bella will understand if you are completely honest with her. I'm sure of it."

"How? How will she understand?" Jacob opened his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose. "I've lost her again, I know it."

"No you don't." Embry said firmly. "Go and speak to her right now Jake before she has too much time to dwell on it."

Jacob finally got himself under control. He knew that he now had no other choice. Embry was right. He needed to see Bella and lay his cards on the table and tell her everything. He just hoped and prayed she wouldn't hate him afterwards.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Peace**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thanks for all the kind reviews. Nikki :)**_

**Chapter 8**

Bella was sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of warm coffee clenched between her hands as she stared into space. Ashton was asleep upstairs in his cot and she had the baby monitor on to listen if he woke and needed her. A soft knock at the door made her jump. She cursed as she spilled some of the coffee onto the table, narrowly missing her hands. Putting the cup down she reluctantly got up and headed for the door before the visitor woke Ashton up by knocking again. When she answered the door she wasn't really surprised to see Jacob standing on the doorstep, looking worried.

"You better come in." She said tiredly.

"Thanks." Jacob followed her inside and back to the kitchen.

"Would you like a drink?" Bella offered.

"No...thanks." Jacob pulled out a chair and sat down opposite her. He was silent for a few seconds, the tension in the air ramping up between them. "Um...Quil said he spoke to you."

Bella flinched as she focused all her attention on mopping up the spilt coffee. "We don't have to discuss this, Jake." She mumbled.

"I think we do." Jacob said firmly. He reached across the table and caught hold of her hand. "Please sit down, Bells."

She glanced up at him and sighed as she did as he asked. "Okay."

Jacob watched her settle back down and he took a deep breath to psyche himself up before continuing. "I'm sorry he said those things, Bells. I know that was the last thing you needed to hear after what you've been through."

Bella twisted her hands in her lap, feeling awkward, not sure how to deal with the situation. "Is what he said true?" She finally asked. "Do you really feel that way about me?"

"Yes." Jacob replied honestly. "I'm not going to deny it now you know, Bells. I would never have told you that myself...at least not right now, but now it is out in the open I won't lie."

Bella felt her face heat up in a familiar blush. She looked at him briefly before dropping her eyes back to her hands. "I don't...I mean...what do you want from me?"

"Nothing honey, only what you are prepared to give. If it's only ever friendship that you want between us, then I'll be content with that." Jacob said quickly.

She glanced at him again. "You can't put your life on hold, Jake. Quil mentioned that you had...kind of waited for me to come back. I don't know how I feel or what I want. I'm so...confused. I mean I suppose it's obvious that I find you attractive. I mean who wouldn't? You're gorgeous and I have no idea why you would feel anything for me. I mean you could have your pick..." she babbled.

Jacob got up from his seat and walked quickly around the table so he could kneel down by her side. Bella stopped talking when she felt his warm hand on her arm. The heat soothed her nerves and she found herself smiling at him nervously. "Sorry." She mumbled.

"Hey, don't you be sorry." Jacob smiled back at her as he reached out and touched her cheek. "This is all on me. As for why I am so deeply in love with you that should be obvious. You are so beautiful Bella, inside and out. When we first became friends all those years ago I was lost as soon as I looked into your lovely brown eyes. I always wished I had the courage back then to let you know how I really felt, but I thought you would just see me as an awkward teenager. I didn't want to risk losing your friendship. Then you had to go to look after your mom..."

Bella was mesmerized by the sound of his voice and the tender look in his dark eyes. "I'm sorry I stopped writing. I was just..."

Jacob placed a finger over her lips to stop her speaking." Please Bells, no more apologies. We were both young and you met Ryan. It was all perfectly understandable."

A tear slid out of Bella's eye as he mentioned Ryan's name. "I feel so lonely sometimes Jake. I've tried to fill the void with Ashton...but it's hard."

"You are not alone, Bella. I'm here and I'll be whatever you need me to be." The sincerity pouring from him made Bella gasp. An indescribable longing made her heart ache as she reached out a trembling hand and brushed her fingers over his lips. She watched as Jacob closed his eyes at her touch. Something she hadn't felt in a long time coursed through her veins; desire. Bella shut down her racing mind and let her body dictate her actions for once. She leaned down and pressed her lips onto his in a gentle kiss.

* * *

The passion between them was undeniable. From that first kiss their lips never parted. Jacob had been tentative at first, concerned that she was kissing him because she wasn't thinking straight, but when he had tried to slow things down, Bella had shown him by her actions that she was in full control of what she was doing. He lifted her up easily from her chair and, cradling her in his arms, he carried her into the lounge.

Bella kissed him all over his face before finding his lips again. Her hands slipped under the collar of his shirt and she massaged his broad shoulders. Jacob pulled away for a second before yanking his shirt over his head in one swift movement. Bella gazed at him in admiration before running her hands over his muscles; exploring every dip and curve with her wandering fingers.

Jacob made a noise in the back of his throat. "I love the way you touch me." He said huskily.

Bella brought her mouth back to his and kissed him heatedly. Jacob fell onto the recliner, Bella still wrapped in his arms. She laughed as she wriggled about, making herself comfortable, straddling him. A blush coated her cheeks as she felt just how turned on he was. She felt his warm hands rub her back through the thin material of her t-shirt. The motion was driving her over the edge. She wanted to feel his hands on her skin. She pulled back from him and gazed at him for a moment.

"Are you okay?" Jacob checked.

Bella just nodded, giving him a sweet smile as she began to lift the t-shirt from the waistband of her jeans. Jacob's eyes widened as he watched her slowly lift the material, revealing what he had only ever pictured in his dreams. "You are so beautiful."

His words sounded so sincere that for once Bella did not question him. The way he was looking at her made her feel beautiful. No man, not even Ryan, had ever looked at her with such open longing and desire as Jacob was right now. She felt his hands on her back again and closed her eyes in bliss as his hot fingers caressed her skin.

"I love that." She murmured, leaning in to kiss him again, savoring the taste as his tongue slipped into her mouth.

Jacob fumbled with the catch of her bra and Bella stifled her laughter. She felt like a carefree teenager, making out in her dad's lounge.

"What's funny?" Jacob mumbled against her lips.

"Nothing..." Bella stopped speaking when she heard the sound of the front door opening. "Shit." She scrambled off of Jacob's lap as he stared at her in alarm.

"Charlie?"

"Yes." Bella squeaked as she retrieved her t-shirt and pulled it over her head.

There was no time for Jacob to fetch his own shirt. Charlie marched into the lounge holding it by the tip of his finger as he glared at them. "Next time make sure you are not in my lounge and never...I repeat never on my recliner." He gave Jacob a severe look before throwing his shirt at him.

"I'm sorry, dad." Bella smoothed down her hair. Her cheeks were flaming red. "I thought you were at work all day."

"I came home to see if you wanted to go out for lunch, kiddo." Charlie muttered. "But I see you've already been enjoying yours."

Bella was mortified, she hid behind Jacob as he gave Charlie a sheepish smile. "Um...I'm sorry, Charlie."

"I doubt that." Charlie shook his head in disgust. "I'll go back to work." He marched back out of the room and a second later they heard the door close behind him.

Bella sank onto the floor, her head in her hands. "That was so embarrassing."

Jacob pulled his shirt back on before sitting down beside her. "Considering what he caught us doing, your dad was pretty cool about it."

"Well we're not teenagers anymore. Although right now I feel like one." Bella finally raised her head to look at him.

Jacob laughed softly. He had never felt so happy and contented in his life. He had no idea that things would turn out like this. He put his arm around Bella's waist and tugged her closer to his side. "No regrets?"

Bella shook her head. "No...although I think we should slow down a bit. Don't get me wrong what we just did was amazing but..."

"Maybe we should try dating first." Jacob finished for her.

"Yeah." Bella smiled at him in relief that he understood.

"Sounds good to me." Jacob kissed the top of her head.

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments before Ashton's cries echoed from the baby monitor. Bella gave Jacob a quick kiss and disappeared up the stairs to tend to her son. Jacob got up and sat down on the sofa, a smile on his face as he heard Bella singing softly to Ashton. The little boy's cries lessened and soon he was gurgling at her. Jacob knew he still needed to be more open with Bella, but right now was not the time. He wanted to take her on a few dates and then tell her everything. For this moment he wanted to revel in his happiness and not let anything spoil it.

* * *

Embry was working on one of the cars when Jacob returned to the garage. His friend looked at him expectantly when he strolled in. "Well how did it go?"

A sunny grin crossed Jacob's face as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Way better then I deserve or expected."

Embry grinned back at him. "I see. So she was alright about what you really are. I'm surprised, I honestly thought she would freak out."

Jacob's smile slipped from his face. "I haven't told her about that part yet."

"Jake." Embry shook his head in disbelief. "Why the hell not?"

"Because it wasn't the right time." Jacob said dismissively. "Bells has agreed to make a go of things. We're going to take things slow, go on a few dates and stuff."

"You can't keep this from her." Embry warned him. "If you're not totally honest it will all blow up in your face."

"Can't you just be happy for me for once.?" Jacob said angrily. "I have just got the girl of my dreams to agree to go out with me and I'm going to just sit back and enjoy it."

"You'll lose that girl like I did if you are not truthful about what you really are." Embry refused to back down. He slammed the hood of the car he had been working on down. "I'm going to finish the paperwork."

Jacob glared at his friend as Embry disappeared into the small office. He didn't care what Embry or anyone else said, he would do things his way. Bella had opened up to him more then he could ever have hoped for and for once he was going to let himself be happy.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Peace**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thanks for the lovely reviews. Nikki :)**_

**Chapter 9**

Bella sighed as her car started to make funny noises. "Not now." She muttered. She managed to roll the car to a stop by the side of the road. Ashton was asleep in his car seat at the back. She had spent the night over at Jacob's house; it had been a fun evening. Billy had amused her with his stories of her dad's younger days. It sounded like he was describing a different person. Jacob had already left for work by the time she woke up and got herself and Ashton ready. She had shared breakfast with Billy before bidding him goodbye and heading home. Now this!

Opening the door Bella carefully climbed out and popped the hood of the car. As soon as she did so steam poured out at an alarming rate. She quickly dived in the back seat and got Ashton out of his car seat. He opened his eyes and began to cry at his interrupted sleep.

"Sorry, Ash." She cooed, using Jake's nickname for him. "It looks like we are going to have to call for some help."

Bella managed to drag Ashton's stroller out of the back one handed so she could strap him in, then she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket to ring Jacob to see if he could assist her. There had to be some perks of having a mechanic as a boyfriend. Thinking about him made her smile. They had only been dating officially for three weeks, but already she couldn't imagine life without him. She was the happiest she had been in her life. The smile slipped from her face as she saw that her battery was dead.

"No. I forgot to charge it last night." Bella cursed her own stupidity. Ashton was getting restless in his stroller and he began to cry again. "I think we're just going to have to walk, sweetheart."

Bella hung his bag on the back of the stroller, pulling out a biscuit as she did so. She handed it to Ashton, who immediately stopped crying. He bit into it happily and smiled at her. Bella smiled back at him as she rubbed his head soothingly. "Off we go then."

* * *

Even though it was only a twenty minute drive between La Push and Forks it seemed forever when you had to walk. Bella was getting tired. Luckily Ashton had fallen asleep again due to the motion of the pushchair over the road. There seemed to be a lack of cars that morning. She had only seen one and, when she had tried to flag it down, it had sped up and disappeared. So much for helping a damsel in distress, she had thought at the time. She continued to walk, deep in thought as she went over the events of the last few weeks. When she had decided to come back home to live with her dad she hadn't expected to meet another man and begin a relationship so quickly. Even though a big part of her still felt guilt over Ryan, she couldn't be sad about the turn her life had taken.

Bella had reached a particularly deserted patch of road. The forest enclosed it on either side, and the trees hung over it, making this part particularly dark and eerie. "I suppose I should be thankful it is just overcast and not raining." She mused.

She made sure to walk a bit faster, now feeling a bit uneasy being overshadowed by such huge trees. She was desperate to get back into the light. She was so focused on what she was doing she didn't at first see the strange man until he was right in front of her. Bella drew to a halt and let out a little cry of alarm.

"Did I scare you?" The man smiled at her, his perfect white teeth gleaming in the dark. His skin was brown and he had long black hair, woven into tight dreadlocks, which flowed down his back.

"Um...I just didn't see you that's all." Bella smiled at him warily.

"I just came out of the forest." The man smiled at her again and bowed courteously. "I apologize for my rudeness. My name is Laurent."

Bella could detect a faint French accent. "Nice to meet you."

"And your name?" Laurent asked. He began to circle Bella, making her feel very uneasy.

"Bella." She whispered.

"Ah Isabella. How wonderful?" Laurent smiled again and circled closer to her, sniffing the air as he did so. "I have to say you smell absolutely delightful my dear."

"Well nice to meet you, Laurent." Bella said quickly. "But I have to go."

Laurent gave her a sympathetic smile. "I am so sorry my dear. I cannot allow you to do that. I am hungry and as I said you smell wonderful"

Bella felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She backed away from him, her hands gripping the handles of the stroller tightly. "You leave me alone."

Laurent narrowed his eyes. Bella peered more closely at them, finally realizing that they had a red tinge to the irises. "Forgive me for what I am about to do." He said as he crouched low and sprung at her.

Ashton wailed as he felt his stroller jerk suddenly. He opened his eyes and looked around with wide eyes. His mommy was gone and he was all alone on the side of the road.

* * *

"Vampire." Quil howled loudly, calling his brothers as he caught the disgustingly sickly sweet scent of a cold one. It had been quite a few months since any nomads had passed that way. News about the fierce wolves that protected that part of Washington State had traveled through the vampire realm and many would not risk crossing the area. This must a particularly foolish individual.

Quil stretched his legs as he swiftly followed the scent. The chocolate brown hairs on his thick pelt stood on end as adrenaline pumped through his huge body.

"How many?" Jacob's voice suddenly appeared in his head.

"Only one that I can smell." Quil reported to his Alpha quickly.

"I'm on my way." Jacob assured him.

One by one the other members of the pack phased. Quil told each of them the news and they all headed in his direction. Jacob was by his side within moments. Apart from Sam Uley he was the fastest and largest wolf of the pack. His whole demeanor screamed his Alpha status. He took the lead, his nose to the ground as he followed the cold one's scent. He could hear the others joining him and, in an arrow formation, they followed after their leader.

The scent led them to the edges of the forest leading onto the main road between La Push and Forks. When Jacob reached the side of the road his whole body stiffened. There was another beloved scent intermingled with the cold one's. "Bella! He has Bella."

The other voices in his mind were as alarmed as he was. He pushed his head out between the trees as he heard a baby crying. His heart nearly stopped when he saw Ashton's abandoned stroller, with the little boy still strapped inside. Jacob looked left and right before quickly phasing back into his human form. He tugged on the shorts attached to his leg and ran over to Bella's son.

"Hey Ash, it's me. It's okay." He un-clipped Ashton from the stroller and held him safely in his strong arms. "Sam get out here." He called.

Seconds later his pack brother appeared by his side. "The cold one must have taken Bella." Jacob was doing his best to remain calm, even though he was panicking inside. "Take Ash back to my house and look after him."

Sam nodded. "Of course." He gently took the baby from him and cradled him close to her chest. "Go."

Jacob nodded before disappearing within the trees.

* * *

Bella was hysterical. Her body was jerked around as Laurent flew through the trees at impossible speeds. She finally had to admit to herself that he wasn't human. He had attacked her, throwing her easily over his shoulder before darting into the forest. The last thing she had heard was her son's cries as he was left behind. Her thoughts were all about Ashton. He was all alone by the side of the road. What if no one discovered him for hours? He could die.

"Please let me go." She pleaded over and over.

Laurent ignored her pleas. He was focused on taking her to a place of safety where he could enjoy his feast without interruption. He hadn't fed in quite a long time. It was sheer fortune that he had come across this tasty morsel. He leaped over rocks and swerved nimbly around the trunks of the huge trees. Bella was beginning to feel sick. Every time her body came into contact with Laurent's skin a chill would run through her. He was as cold as ice.

"You have to let me go. My son." She begged again.

"You won't need to worry about your son anymore my dear." Laurent finally broke his silence as he halted suddenly. His head whirled around and he sniffed the air. "What the hell is that?"

"What?" Bella gasped. She tried to get her bearings but the blood was rushing to her head as she was still dangling over his shoulder.

"This is impossible." Laurent spun round again, listening intently.

Finally Bella could hear faint howls. She closed her eyes in despair. Not only was she at the mercy of this demon but it seemed that she was about to be maimed by wild animals as well. She began to scream loudly. Laurent pulled her off of his shoulder and dumped her on the ground.

"Be quiet." He hissed. "You will bring them straight to us."

"NO." Bella yelled at him. "I WOULD RATHER DIE WITH RAVENOUS WOLVES THEN BY YOUR HAND."

"You fool." Laurent's red eyes blazed as he used the back of his hand to hit her around the face.

Bella's head jolted back and she saw stars, but she managed to remain conscious. The wolves howls drew nearer and she got pleasure out of seeing the fear in Lauent's eyes. "I hope they tear you limb from limb you sorry son of a bitch." She said through the blood in her mouth.

Laurent grabbed hold of her hair, a wild light in his eyes as he leaned close. Bella felt his teeth on her neck and she began to struggle uselessly against him. "I will at least have a little taste before I run." He leered.

Bella closed her eyes. It was useless, she couldn't fight him. She began to pray. She heard the pounding of heavy feet, along with loud pants and howls as the wolves finally caught up with them. Laurent's teeth grazed her neck before he suddenly released her. She assumed he had fled. Bella fell onto her side and buried her face in the dirt as she heard the sounds of Laurent screaming and cursing at the wolves. More loud howls rent the air, making Bella shiver as she huddled up as small as she could. Hopefully the wolves would ignore her now they had Laurent. It wasn't to be. She felt herself being surrounded, the hot breath of the huge beasts flowing across her body. Bella rolled onto her back and opened her eyes as she stared up at the biggest wolves she had ever seen in her life.

"Don't kill me." She begged them before she blacked out completely.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


	10. Chapter 10

**Peace**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you for the awesome reviews. Nikki :)**_

**Chapter 10**

Bella opened her eyes and sat up abruptly; her tangled hair falling about her shoulders. She regretted it instantly, black spots obscured her vision and a sharp pain flashed through her skull. "Shit." She cursed.

A warm hand touched her back, steadying her. Bella looked to the side and saw Jacob. He was looking at her anxiously as he rubbed soothing circles on her skin. Bella frowned as she clutched at her aching head. The last thing she remembered was lying supine on the forest floor surrounded by a pack of ravenous wolves.

"ASHTON." She cried out, suddenly remembering her son.

"Hush honey." Jacob said gently as he cradled her close. "He's fine. Ash is with my dad."

Bella turned her head slowly so as not to jar it. She saw Billy sitting in his chair, Ashton was perched on his lap, sucking on a teething ring. "How did you find me?" She whispered.

Jacob glanced over at his dad. Billy nodded at him as he rolled his chair out of the room to give them some privacy. Bella stared at him in confusion. "Jake, what's going on? You're scaring me."

He stroked her hair back from her face as he gazed at her sadly. "I don't want you to be scared, Bells. I never wanted you to find out this way. You have to believe that I was going to tell you when the time was right."

"Tell me what?" Bella demanded, she winced as her head began to pound.

Jacob took a deep breath and cupped her face in his hands. "I found you in the forest. That man, or should I say thing, had kidnapped you and was just about to..."he closed his eyes for a second to get his anger under control. "That creature was a vampire, Bells."

"A vampire?" Bella echoed weakly. "I guessed he wasn't human, that he was some sort of demon. Vampire? He kept telling me how good I smelled. Was he going to drink my blood?"

Jacob nodded. He dropped his hands from her face and clutched her tightly to his body as she began to shake. "I am so sorry you had to find out about the supernatural that way. We haven't come across any nomads in months. Normally there would have been more then just Quil on patrol in the old days, but lately I've relaxed them. Thank god he was on full alert. I can't even think about what I would have done if we had been too late to get to you."

Bella's head was spinning. Quil? Patrols? What the hell was he talking about? And what about the wolves? She pulled back from him and stared into his eyes, she could see the anxiety over laced with panic in them. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Jake. The last thing I remember is being surrounded by a pack of huge wolves. They were just about to attack me. How would Quil get past them?"

Jacob took her by her upper arms and looked at her pleadingly. "Vampires are real, Bells. You accept this?"

"I have no freaking choice." Bella said harshly. "I saw that thing with my own eyes. What I want to know is how you know about them?"

"I know about them because I hunt them." Jacob kept a tight hold on her as he spoke.

"Hunt them?" She said faintly.

"Yes. Vampires are real and so are werewolves. Those wolves were not going to attack you Bella. They were there to save you. Quil is one of those wolves and...and so am I. I am their leader and it is my destiny to protect our lands from our natural enemies and destroy them if they dare to cross our borders." He could see the realizations sinking in.

"You were one of those wolves?" Bella choked out.

"Yes."

"Which one?"

"The one with the russet toned fur." Jacob replied.

"The largest one?"

"Yes."

"Who were the others?"

"Quil as you know is one. Jared, Paul, Sam, Embry, Seth and once Leah too."

"Leah?" Bella said in alarm.

"Yes. She no longer phases. Leah stopped when she wanted to start a family with Sam." Jacob confessed.

Bella put her head in her hands. "I can't believe this." She cried. "I came here to find peace and security but I find I have left one lot of danger behind and walked straight into another. I can't deal with this."

Jacob felt sick inside. He cuddled her close but she pushed against his chest so that he was forced to release her. Bella slipped off of his lap and stood unsteadily on her feet. Jacob stood too and tried to put his arms back around her but she pushed him away. "Leave me alone. I want to leave now."

"Bells, don't. I know this is all a shock but just let me explain..." he implored her.

"Ryan was killed by a monster right before my eyes." Bella suddenly yelled at him. "Today I faced a different kind of monster. Now you tell me that you are one too. I won't put my son through this, let alone myself. I can't stand it. This place isn't safe. Does my dad know what you are?"

Jacob shook his head. "No. Charlie doesn't know."

"Your dad?"

"Yes." Jacob held out his arms as she began to shake again but she stepped back from him.

"I told you not to touch me." She hissed.

"I'm not a monster." Jacob whispered brokenly. "I am a protector."

Bella glared at him for a moment. She saw the hurt and despair in his eyes and it was like a stab to her heart. He was right, she was just lashing out. He was not a monster in the literal sense. He had saved her and Ashton today. The least she owed him was her gratitude. "You are right. I'm sorry. Thank you and your friends for what you all did for me and Ashton today. I will be eternally grateful."

Jacob exhaled slowly. He stepped forward again and Bella allowed him to give her a brief hug before she pulled away again. He looked at her in confusion. "Bells?"

"I'm grateful for what you've done, Jake. I am. But I can't stay here or see you again. You have to understand that. It's dangerous and I can't cope with anymore. I have to think of Ashton's safety." Bella kept her voice steady even though she was falling apart inside. "I will be leaving now."

"Please honey, just give it a few days and then maybe we can talk some more. You have to forgive me, Bells. You have to." Jacob pleaded with her. "I know I should have been honest from the start but I just wanted to enjoy being with you, feeling normal for once."

"It's not about you being honest, Jake." Bella replied tiredly. "It's about me needing peace and security. With these vampires wandering around like this how am I supposed to stick around? I can't take any more loss. What if that thing had grabbed Ashton instead of me? I'm sorry but once I get back to my dad's I will be packing my things and getting the first flight out of here."

"I can protect you." Jacob grabbed her by the arms and pulled her into a tight bear hug. "I love you. You can't leave now. Stay. I can keep you and Ashton safe I swear."

"Who will keep you safe, Jake?" Bella whispered. "I can't do it again. I have lost one man I love already. I can't risk getting my heart crushed again if anything happened to you. Please just let me go."

Jacob released her reluctantly as his heart shattered in his chest. This couldn't be happening. Embry had warned him and he had refused to listen. His whole body began to shake as he backed away from her. His despair and unhappiness was making him lose control. Bella watched him anxiously as he backed away toward the door.

"Jake?" She said uncertainly.

"I love you." Jacob replied hoarsely before he fled the house; the door slamming behind him.

Bella staggered to the window and peered out. She caught sight of him running toward the trees, his outline blurring. Then he disappeared from view. She pressed the palms of her hands against the glass as she began to weep silently.

"Has he gone?" Billy's voice startled her. She turned to stare at him, words failing her. "Ashton fell asleep. I've put him in my bed for now."

"I...I have to go." Bella mumbled.

"Not yet. I need you to listen to what I have to say." Billy said firmly.

"I can't see what difference it would make. I have to leave." Bella replied, wrapping her arms around her middle as if holding herself together.

Billy gave her a sympathetic smile. "I understand your reasons for wanting to flee. Please just hear me out, and if after that you still want to go...well I can't stop you."

Bella sat down on the couch and gazed into Billy's wise eyes. They seemed to hold a fountain of secrets. "Okay." She finally agreed.

"Thank you." Billy said gratefully. He parked his chair in front of her and took one of her cold hands in his. Bella swallowed nervously. "I am going to tell you a story Bella Swan, about the Alpha of the last wolf pack and the woman he loved more then his own life. His name was Ephraim..."

* * *

Jacob ran and ran until he couldn't run anymore. He collapsed on the hard ground; his breath coming in short pants as he tried to hold himself together. He had lost her and he didn't know how to cope. Pain shot through his body and pierced his heart like an arrow. He could picture himself bleeding. Bella's name ricocheted around his skull on a loop and his breathing slowed as blackness overcame him.

Moments or maybe hours later his weary eyes opened as he came back to consciousness. He could hear someone yelling his name. He tried to shut out the voice in his head but it was persistent and wouldn't leave him be.

"What?" He roared through the pack mind.

"Chill dude." Embry was irritated. "Where are you? You need to come back."

"Why?" Jacob closed his eyes again. "There's nothing left for me. I lost her, just like you predicted."

"Maybe you should have more faith." Embry retorted. "She's still at your house idiot. She's going out of her mind worrying about you. So if you are done wallowing, maybe you should get your sorry ass back here, like now."

Jacob's eyes flared open in disbelief. "She hasn't gone?"

"No." Embry's voice was getting impatient. "It seems that she loves you after all. God knows why. I was just enjoying some sleep when your dad called and demanded I phase and get your mopey butt back here. So?"

"I hate you, Embry." Jacob was back on his feet; adrenaline pumping through his body as he began the long journey home.

"Right back at ya." Embry replied in amusement. "By the way I ate the dinner that she made for you. I think that makes us even."

"Don't bet on it." Jacob barked a laugh as he wound easily through the trees.

* * *

Bella was waiting anxiously on the porch when Jacob finally returned home. As soon as she caught sight of him emerging through the trees, she took off at a slow run toward him. Her head was still pounding but she didn't care about the pain. Jacob sprinted toward her, his heart beating madly in his chest as he reached her quickly. He swept her up into a tight bear hug and swung her round.

"You stayed."

Bella put her arms around his neck and clutched him just as tightly. "I stayed." She murmured, pressing kisses all over his face.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


End file.
